River's Edge

Add to My List

Add to Favorites

Alternative Titles

Japanese: リバーズ・エッジ

More titles

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 1

Chapters: 14

Status: Finished

Published: 1993

Genres: Drama, Slice of Life

Theme: School

Demographic: Josei

Serialization: None

Authors: Okazaki, Kyoko (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 7.32¹ (scored by 2,009 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #4472²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #3172

Members: 6,662

Favorites: 147

7.32

Ranked #4472Popularity #3172Members 6,662

MangaOkazaki, Kyoko (Story & Art)

Add to My List

Volumes: /1

Chapters: /14

Edit
Synopsis

Haruna Wakakusa and Yamada become friends after she saves him several times from her boyfriend's constant bullying. Through him she gets to know Kozue Yoshikawa, a fellow student who also models professionally. The three emotionally stunted teens' lives briefly yet intensely intertwine for one semester before splintering from the aftereffects of one disastrous night. For both Wakakusa and Yamada, their emotional awakening fosters an unlikely friendship between the two battered souls.

(Source: MU)

Edit
Background

River's Edge was published in English by Kodansha USA under the Vertical Comics imprint on June 27, 2023.

Edit

Related Entries

More characters
Characters

Wakakusa, Haruna

Main

Yamada, Ichiro

Main

Yoshikawa, Kozue

Supporting

Kanna, Tajima

Supporting

Kannonzaki

Supporting

Rumi

Supporting

Reviews

Jul 4, 2024

LuxuriousHeart

Recommended

Another good read by Kyoko Okazaki. This is an accurate portrayal of the problems of the youth. It's similar to Kimi ni Todoke with the topic, but this is a grittier version. Much grittier. Kimi ni Todoke does talk about struggles of youth, but there's a light hearted aspect to that and an optimistic tone. Kimi ni Todoke is idealistic in a way. River's Edge is a gritty and harsh reality, and there's no optimistic tone. Just the dull and gritty reality.

The characters are actually fantastic. They feel like realistic characters, even if they have a ... few screws loose. You almost get a sort of second hand embarrassment when you see the actions of their characters, because they mirror the mistakes you've made as a kid. And not in a literal sense, but the overall idea. For example, I'm sure we've seen a friend do something morally wrong, but we never told the teacher on them. Or when that friend just does something so bad that you absolutely HAVE to call out their behavior, and it's just that sort of awkward moment where they know they've gone to far. We've probably held onto something that was actively making our life worse (a friend, a bf/gf, a hobby, etc). And yet, we just held onto it... And then you look back and wonder, why DID I hold onto it? Why didn't I just give it up? Looking back, that was stupid. That sort of moral dilemma is what makes these characters feel real. Even how it ends is realistic. Sometimes a crush is never confessed. I remember talking to a person in real life, and I told them that I had a loyal crush on someone and that I had never confessed my crush. The last thing I told my crush was "good bye! Good luck with college!" Life isn't the average romcom for most people. You don't get closure to every situation. Sometimes, there's no rainbow at the end. Things will remain the same. When they do change, it's never in a satisfying way. It's just a "well, that's it... Bye!"

The themes in this are so strong! You have the struggle of fame, bulimia, not wanting to upset the status quo, comphet, outward misogyny, internalized misogyny, being jealous of your siblings, etc. This shows all the struggles that teens hold in, and shows their bad sides. It's a perfect contrast with every scene. Sex and pleasure contrasted with the fascination of a dead body. A guy in a seemingly happy relationship contrasted with a guy that's annoyed with his girlfriend. The pretty sibling contrasted with the ugly sibling. The successful sibling contrasted with the screw up. The comphet that's due to people keeping their feelings hidden, but also due to society projecting an image on people. Like a girl assuming that her gay boyfriend is uninterested in her, due to him cheating with another girl. Or a guy assuming that his lesbian girlfriend is cheating on him with another guy. Two lesbians with a crush on each other not confessing, because they assume that the other is straight. A gay guy not confessing to his crush, because his crush has a girl friend. And there's never any closure to these situations. The lesbians are doomed Yuri. Holding these feelings for each other, but being separated in the end. The gay guy never able to confess his feelings, and being haunted by his ex girlfriend. The bulimia within the entertainment district. Having to deal with the fake and vapid world of show business, while presenting a pleasant smile. Internalized misogyny of sleeping with your friend's boyfriend and trying to break them up because they're not a good match. And she was right... But like... There were ulterior motives for that good advice. It wasn't from the heart...

I'm just rambling at this point tbh. Though the point is, the story is good. It's something that makes you think. It's realistic and so gritty and raw. Life isn't determined for us or an easy path for most of it. It's a step by step process. There isn't always a grand purpose to anything. Sometimes, the person you're meant to be with, is just not available for you to date for reasons. Seriously, I wanted a character to just break up with her boyfriend and be with her friend, and be the lesbian that she was meant to be. Though life doesn't always work out that way. That's the theme of the works of Kyoko Okazaki. Life doesn't work out the way you expected, some things are anti-climatic, and desires don't always get you what you want.

Open

Gift

Feb 22, 2022

bitterpapaya

Recommended

This is one of my favorite manga, i love the story, i love the characters, i love how it leaves me in this melancholic feelings.

It's the kind of manga that I keep coming back to, I read it in middle school, discovering it after I finished Helter Skelter. It changes how I see life, it made me realizes some things about life.

My favorite quote in this manga is;
"We had chattered endlessly after school, so that we wouldn't have to say something"

I like how the settings are so mundane, for a person who lives near industrial area of the town, I get this feeling that ...

Open

Gift

Nov 27, 2023

Galletita

Mixed Feelings

River´s Edge can be a painful read. Exploring sensitive topics ranging from eating disorders to sexual violence and abortion, it is a brutal yet sincere portray of the struggles of the youth in 90s Japan. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Haruna Wakakusa, a high school girl in an extremely toxic relationship disillusioned with her peers and and everything surrounding her life. She soon meets and befriends Ichiro Yamada, a fellow classmate viciously bullied by Haruna´s boyfriend and his friends.

Haruna´s and Ichiro´s shared struggles and bonding through their harsh experiences in this bleak society is the main narrative drive of the manga, ...

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

The Abyss Will Gaze Back Into You

by claricespectro

50 Entries · 171 Restacks

Mangasplaining Picks S4

by BeyondTheVortex

24 Entries · 7 Restacks

suffering from Female Hysteria™ 😔✌️

by Mosaique011

16 Entries · 35 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

Q2 2022 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 6/14]

In this thread, you'll find a comprehensive list of anime and manga licensed in the second quarter (Apr-Jun) of 2022. Spring 2022 anime which were licensed befo...read more

Mar 29, 2022 1:46 PM by Snow | Discuss (14 comments)

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: River's Edge Chapter 14 Discussion AlexSadist-sama - Jan 20, 2012	6 replies	by LuxuriousHeart »» Jun 29, 11:39 PM
Poll: River's Edge Chapter 9 Discussion AlexSadist-sama - Jan 20, 2012	2 replies	by Dreat123 »» Jun 24, 2023 2:07 AM
Poll: River's Edge Chapter 10 Discussion AlexSadist-sama - Jan 20, 2012	2 replies	by St0rmblade »» Jan 30, 2021 5:51 AM
Poll: River's Edge Chapter 4 Discussion AlexSadist-sama - Jan 20, 2012	1 replies	by St0rmblade »» Jan 29, 2021 7:34 AM
Poll: River's Edge Chapter 3 Discussion AlexSadist-sama - Jan 20, 2012	2 replies	by St0rmblade »» Jan 29, 2021 7:04 AM

River's Edge
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Related Entries

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

River's Edge Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

EditSynopsis

EditBackground

Related Entries

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More charactersCharacters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

River's Edge
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion